A Nation of One
The owner of a tiny island off Scotland declared its independence from the United Kingdom on Saturday, saying he wanted the territory, population one, to be a crown dependency like the Channel Islands….
[Stuart] Hill, 65, has lived in the Shetland Islands on the edge of the Atlantic since 2001, when his boat capsized there during an unsuccessful attempted to circumnavigate Britain.
He is Forvik's only resident, and his home is a tent on the storm-battered island. He says on his website that he plans to create Forvik's own currency—the "gulde"—print his own stamps and raise his own flag.
"There will be no income tax, VAT (value added tax), council tax, corporation tax, or any of the other taxes instituted by the British government," Hill wrote.
Hill's legal argument, which revolves around a 15th-century royal dowry, is spelled out on his website, which also includes this call for confederates:
I invite anyone in Shetland, or indeed anywhere else, who is interested in this project to apply for citizenship. Many benefits will be available to both individuals and companies.
I am also inviting the owners of other property in Shetland, whether that may be an uninhabited island, or one of the populated parts, to join Forvik in a federation to eventually provide a legitimate alternative authority to the Shetland Islands Council.
Bonus link: my review of Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations.
[Hat tip: Richard Brandt.]